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One of my neices has been acting out in school so they took her to the councelor's office. Apparently she told some stuff about the household because CPS was called out a few days later. All the kids and the parents were brought to one of the schools, apparently to be interviewed and maybe to be examines.
My question is, should be help clean up the house before CPS checks out the house, or would that be enabling? One of the kids is special needs and poops in the bed quite often. The mattress has many poop stains on it. Apparently my brother doesn't scrub it completely anymore. Apparently he just wipes it off, then covers it with a sheet, which my neice takes off most nights.
My mother wants to take the poopy mattress out and replace it, which we have wanted to do for a long time, but my brother has to be in control of everything, so he delays that until he has the time to control every detail. So now he is desparate to get it replaced NOW!!!
So would it be enabling to clean the house while they are meeting with CPS at the school, or should we let them face the consequences of their inactions.
(The mother is the alcoholic and she is very inactive in the family. She comes home from work and retreats into the bedroom, ignoring the kids, not noticing when the special needs child poops all over the place. She is apparently not drinking but has stopped going to meetings.)
And what info should I volunteer to CPS? I will not lie, but considering much of what I know is 2nd hand, I could be vague and not give much info.
-- Edited by smartkat on Tuesday 10th of November 2009 05:31:03 PM
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Serenity is not freedom from the storm but peace within the storm.
Aloha Kat...So is there an elephant in the living room or not. If there is no problem when, where and how does a solution become necessary. Ug CPS and then this is a door that can lead to them getting help. Keep the door open. The program always suggest that we don't cover up for him, her, them etc. Pray for the best ((((((hugs))))))
But if we have been wanting to replace the bed anyway, and now we are 'allowed' to, is that covering up or is that taking advantage of the situation to get done what we always wanted to do anyway?
My mom is too concerned with what people think. I don't want my bitterness towards my brother to adversly effect my decisions.
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Serenity is not freedom from the storm but peace within the storm.
So this isn't about CPS finding out. Let them change the mattress as they find the need to. What better concern than theirs rather than the familys. I know that sounds real detached and then another thought is will a new mattress stop her or help her from pooping the bed which doesn't seem to be the CPS issue either.
You can handle your bitterness toward your brother without the bed or CPS for that matter and that comes from my experience. Your bitterness can be pointed at anyone you like until you decide to stop using it. Bitterness is not a recovery tool; acceptance and forgiveness, compassion, empathy and grace are. He can't be doing what he's doing just to make you bitter or your mom self centered.
I came to understand that situations like this were taylor made for my recovery.
Good luck. Keep coming back. In support. (((((hugs)))))
Hi smartkat, The best thing would be to stay out of it, but I realize for the sake and love of the disabled child who does not want to sleep in a poopy bed and you've been wanting to help with the bed for a long time, I'd replace the bed and make sure there's a double plastic mattress cover on it (walmart $11 each). That is all I'd do. Cleaning the house isn't your business or your mom's. The controlling thing of your brother sounds like he should be in Alanon. Is he open to going? Sending love.
My brother doesn't get paperwork taken care of so I don't think she is getting SSI. Or he could be actling like he doesn't so we will feel more sorry for him, thinking the only money he gets is from his part time, almost minimum wage job.
Before CPS got involved, I was very pissed at him for finding out he was pretty much conning mom out money with the excuse that he needed to pay a certain bill, that he never paid.
That household is so disfunctional on so many levels!
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Serenity is not freedom from the storm but peace within the storm.
It doesn't appear there is any physical abuse. But some neglect. The two other kids are old enough to take care of themselves, but the special needs child is on the level of a 2 yr old. She is helpless!
__________________
Serenity is not freedom from the storm but peace within the storm.
On a personal level I would leave this alone. If your brother wants to buy a new mattress I am sure he is perfectly capable of doing so on his own. On the surface this does sound like neglect ( just from what I have read in your post) and if this child is a special needs I can almost guarentee the child is getting assistance. If the parents are not using the money appropriatly then they need to answer for that. If you help them ( and I say this from experience) and things don't go the way they want it to they will blame you. CPS should be able to examine the home as experienced by the child and make a determination from there. Otherwise the only person getting hurt here is the child. This is just my humble opinion
CPS often does more harm than good, but I am hopeful it will start some real changes this time. Maybe if they find out the mother is a recovering addict, they will require her to go to meetings.
Or maybe they will split up and the sick dance will end.
I just know this isn't the first time CPS has been involved and all it has done in the past was to make them isolate themselves more. But that was before the mother started recovery.
anyway. I have no crystal ball to know what will happen so I have a hard time knowing if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
__________________
Serenity is not freedom from the storm but peace within the storm.